Alexa Demie isn’t 100 percent sure, but she thinks she may have lived through the 1950s in a past life. It would explain her nostalgic taste and affinity for classic Hollywood style—when Edith Head designed custom looks for the starlets of the moment. Or maybe she was alive during the ’70s, when Cher and Bob Mackie were the ultimate style dream team. Demie yearns for the days when custom pieces were the only choice for red carpet attire. “It really brought out the stars’ essence,” she tells W. “Today we see maybe five people wearing the same dress, and while they all bring their own style to it, I admire the custom element. It’s a beautiful reflection of the wearer.”
That’s why Demie is an avid collector of vintage clothes—and as a result, has become a bit of a style icon among the extremely online and fashion-obsessed. It’s also why, when Demie stepped onto the set of Calvin Klein’s fall 2023 campaign, she did so with a mood board in hand, featuring the old Hollywood stars she might have bumped shoulders with in a past life. “There were photos of Marilyn Monroe and Béatrice Dalle,” Demie says of the board, which she perched right in front of her as she underwent glam for the campaign shot Inez and Vinoodh. “Funny enough, Inez came to me and said, ‘You remind me of a young Béatrice.’”
Demie describes the experience on set as “light and fun”—feelings she appreciates following the recent untimely death of her beloved Euphoria costar, Angus Cloud. “I’m realizing that healing and processing does not look like one thing,” she says. “So right now, I’m trying to be light when I can.”
Below, the actress discusses taking on the fashion senses of the characters she plays, and the key to an individual red carpet look.
When you think of Calvin Klein, what comes to mind?
I don’t know if this is weird to say, but I think of consistency. Calvin Klein has always been so consistent in their vision, and that’s something I admire because, as much as I love change and growth and evolving, I think consistency says a lot about their intentions as a brand. You don’t see that consistency with a lot with commercial labels.
What was the vibe on set?
I will say, it was truly the most fun I’ve ever had on a campaign. The energy, from the fitting to the photo shoot, was light and fun. Inez and Vinoodh know how to make you feel so comfortable, so powerful, so beautiful, but also vulnerable. I was kind of shocked because usually there’s some tension or some drama on a big campaign shoot, but there was nothing of that sort
What is your daily uniform at the moment?
It changes frequently. I go through these different characters—right now, I’m feeling a lot of ease and minimalism in my wardrobe. I don’t like to give it too much thought, so I’m mostly wearing jeans and little tank tops. But I’m also simultaneously collecting these really crazy vintage pieces that I know I’ll wear at some point.
What influences those changes in your style?
The cycle that I’m in, in terms of work and life, is a big influence. Right now my priority isn’t to spend hours on clothing. I’m in a space where I’m working and I’m really focused on other things. I can’t speak on it, but I’m doing a lot that involves nature, so I’m focused on being comfortable and effortless.
Do you often feel that your various roles and projects influence the way you dress?
They do. When I do a project, I embody that character for all of the press. I want to fulfill this vision and fantasy of the character. So, I correlate the clothing during the press cycle, and then after that, I’m back to me.
Who are some of your style inspirations?
It changes all the time, but starlets like Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, Greta Garbo, and María Félix are huge inspirations to me. Cher, too, with all of her Bob Mackie pieces. I love when designers would team up with actresses and singers and do really beautiful, custom looks in collaboration with them. I think I gravitate toward that because it’s more individual.
The CK campaign has a connection to music. Do you get any style inspiration from the music you listen to?
I’ve actually been thinking about that, and I realized, as a kid, music really influenced my style. If I was into a particular genre of music, I would embody it with my clothes. Today, it does influence me if it’s a personal project. But other than that, I don’t think music influences my day-to-day wardrobe.
Who are you listening to at the moment?
Lots of Kate Bush. I was listening to Jewel yesterday. I listen to a lot of music from the past. I’m also listening to JMSN’s music—I genuinely think it’s amazing.